Morning journal and courier., 1887-03-22

by Well known C1t1zenS-Mr. Edward
p. Yale of Yale, Bryan & Co. Makes n
Long Statement-He Knows Parties
Who Will Give the City $250, 900 And
Will Perform All Obligations the
HOusatOnic Proposes New Haven
Said to be as Comparative as Amy
other New England C1tY-Interesting
Testimony Given.
The interest in the proposed sale of the
Little Derby road has not abated the least
whit, as was shown by tbs attendance of
prominent business men and citizens at the
adjourned hearing last evening on the propo-
| sition of the Housatonic Valley company to
buy the city's interest in the Derby for
$175,000. The parties opposed to the sale
| have now had three hearings, and Mr.. J. B.
| Sargent, representing himself, President
| Joel A. Sperry and other stockholders in the
| road says that he don't know when his side
will finish. 1t is thought likely, however,
that there will be several more hearings
required to bring all the testimony before
the committee. The meeting was promptly
raped to order at 7:30 by Mayor York.
Mr.. Sargen introduced as the first witness
| Mr. Edward P. Yale, of the wholesale gro
Gerry firm of Yale, Bryan & Co. He proved
a puzzling witness to Attorneys Tyler and AL
| ling He told his experience about New Ha-
ven being comparative point. Iwant to con-
fine myself strictly to my own line and do
not speak for the hardware, broom or the
meat business. have been in business for 30
years. own no stock in any railroad nor
never did and therefore am in no wise here
| to talk for any syndicate or corporation.
Facts have been represented and misrepre-
scented before you. One of my partners APP
peared here and made statements about
| freights from New York State which were
correct. I have been investigating my
freight lists and have prepared certain state
! ments. During 1885, which was good year,
| our firm paid $3.50. 50 what may be called ar
| bitrary freight over and above Hartford and
1928. 90 over Bridgeport rates. All my
| statements are based on 1885. We had 81
| 800 barrels of -four from the State OF New
York alone that year. The committee ON at :. l
think has the impression that all fretghts
coming from New York State are
arbitrary. This is not true. There are
two big mills in that State from which
we purchase flour. We got $500 barrels
that wear from one of them on which there
was no arbitrary rate. On our canned goods
we paid SIZE arbitrary; on little matter
of salt $50. Nine carloads of the salt was
brought here for 81 a car less than Bridge
port and the remaining six cars our freight
was 81 more than to Bridgeport The aver
age was in favor of New Haven. I wish
to state here that the wholesale grocers of
New Haven enjoy as low freight
facilities, if not lower, than any other city
in New England. Our wholesale grocers even
paying these arbitrary charges fare better
on the whole than any of our sister
cities Take the matter of oil, quite an i'm
L4 A
carloads to New Haven or 26, 400 barrels.
The freight from New York to New Haven
on carload of oil is SIS and the same price
to Bridgeport. From New York to Hartford
it costs $25. We buy good deal of molss-
ses from New London. There is only one
importer of molases in this city that ships
from Santa Graz. The freight from New
LONDON to New Haven on a carload of mo-
lasses is $12. To Hartford it is $16 and to
Bridgeport $1S. Does this look that
New Haven is Disseminated against. There
may have been under certain circumstances
few arbitraries, but there are many goods
from the East. A man can stock his store
from the North, East, South and West and
sell his goods to compete with any market
this side of New York. I am opposed to
selling the Derby road for the price offered.
It is not fair nor equal. We don't want to
give the road away, on account OF the small
arbitraries which have now been virtually
abandoned and which will be entirely done
away with after the 9th of April.
Mr.. Sargent-What in your mind caused
the arbitraries in the first place!
Mr.. Yale-It was undoubtedly due to the
West Shore troubles. The Consolidated road
has not charged anything extortionate. There
may be cases of loss and overcharging, but
with us they have always been remedied in
due time.
Mr.. Sargent-The volume of your business
compares favorably, does it not, with other
large groceries of the State?
Mr.. Yale-Without being egotistlc can
say that it does. In 1885 we brought 1873
out of the total Ala car loads of oil brought
here, but there five other dealers.
Mr.. Sargent-Do you get freight from
western points at reduced rates!
Mr.. Yale-We buy large quantities of -four
from Minneapolis, st. Louis, and we get Bos-
ton rates on it.
Mr.. Sargent-Whati is your general opinion
as to the rates given to New Haven from the
West compared with other citiess
Mr. YaIe-New Haven has been favored
as well for the last ten years as any other
city in New England.
Alderman Barnes-Is not competition the
life of trade?
Mr. Yale-Oftentimes it is the death of
trade.
Alderman Barnes-Don't you think it
would be best for the city's business interests
to have two lines run here independent of
each other!
Mr.. Yale-I hardly think it would under
the circumstances that they would be run
under.
Alderman Barnes-What do you think
fair price for the Derby?
Mr.. Yale-The Housatonic will give $780,
900. Mr.. Sargent says he will give $500, 900,
but know party who will give $3.50, 900
who would build the extension quickly as
is proposed and perform all other incumbent
obligations. 1t is rather foolish in my mind
to sell for $175, 900 when it can get SO much
more. New Haven with the Derby as it is,
fares fully well as Springfield, Hartford,
Meriden and other cities.
In answer to further questions Mr.. Yale
stated that the names Of the PARTIES who
would buy the road were not yet to be given
out. They were not connected with any syn
dictate or corporation; ''neither is Mr.. Sargent
interested in it," said the speaker. They
will do all the Housatonic proposes to do.
II don't think $3.50, 900 enough for the Derby
and more could no doubt be got for it."
State Attorney Tilton E. Doolittle was
next sworn and said he appeared simply as
citizen and one who protests against the ex-
istence of the death trap at Custom House
Square. am opposed to a single pound of
freight passing these crossings. The people
of New Haven want to GO to the Union depot
and they don't want to cross these tracks on
which trains are constantly moving. It is
all bosh about the Consolidated road
no more consequence to the New York road
than fly would trouble an OK that had
lighted on its horns. They don't want it,
nor never did. If they did they would take
it. The Consolidated road could have taken
it hundred times over and ten years ago
could have bought it for ten cents. 1t
would have been better for the Derby if it
/ had taken it. Look at the Shore Line and
Air Line roads before the Consolidated took
| them up. They now have better aecommo-
dalton. There is no trade in
the Housatonic valley. There amt any
| trade there to speak of. There are DO cities
| of any consequence in the valley. This propo-
| sition is grand specializing scheme, land if it
| is carried out New York and New England
stock will go up, but after awhile the bubble
will be pricked and there will be crash.
This proposed sale to the Housatonic isn't a
going to do anyone any good. Competition
doesn't always build city. Look at Meriden
with competition. No city in the State
has grown SO fast. It is the manufacturing
| interests that brings the people and the
/ people and money into a city. We already
have water competition, which is really the